Hemostatic clamp



C. C. HUNNICUTT HEMOS'IATIC CLA July 8, 1969 VENTOR 566/7 6 rim/cuff Arm/way.

United States Patent 3,454,009 HEMOSTATIC CLAMP Cecil C. Hunnicutt, Sabetha, Kans., assignor to Instrument Research, Inc., Sabetha, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Filed Nov. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 591,828 Int. Cl. A61b 17/28 U.S. Cl. 128-322 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hemostatic clamp consisting of a pair of elongated arms disposed in intersecting pivotal relationship intermediate their ends, one pair of corresponding ends of said arms constituting cooperating jaws, and the other pair of corresponding ends of said arms constituting handles, said arms being connected together solely by interengaging elements formed integrally therewith said elements interlocking to retain said arms in assembly from a position in which said jaws are closed to a position in which said jaws are widely separated, said elements becoming disengaged at said latter position, whereupon said arms may be separated.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in forcep-type instruments, and has particular reference to hemostatic clamps used by surgeons in clamping off blood vessels and other similar functions, although it will be apparent that the principles involved can be applied with equal effectiveness to any forcep or scissors-type instrument having a pair of arms pivoted together intermediate their ends for relative pivotal movement, said arms at one side of said pivot constituting cooperating jaws, blades or the like, and at the other side of said pivot constituting handles whereby said jaws or blades may be cooperatively manipulated.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of an instrument of the character described including no pivot pin or other equivalent connection between the arms, the entire structure consisting solely of the two arms, with pivotal movement between said arms being guided and controlled by integral interengaging elements of said arms.

Another object is the provision of an instrument of the character described wherein the arms thereof, while securely held in assembly with each other while in normal usage, may be easily disassembled simply by pivoting them to a relative position not likely to occur in normal usage. This feature permits the arms to be more thoroughly cleansed and sterilized than is possible with instruments of the same character in which the arms are permanently joined, and the extreme simplicity of the structure adapts it for low-cost production. It is also adapted to be formed of a cheap material such as molded plastic, thereby permitting practical production thereof as a single-use, disposable item which can be discarded after each job without significant cost if desired.

Other objects are general simplicity and economy of construction, and efficiency and dependability of operation.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear in the course of the specification, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a hemostatic clamp embodying the present invention, shown in its closed position,

FIG. 2 is an edge View of the clamp as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken on line IIIIII of FIG. 2,

ice

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the jaws pivoted open to a position permitting disassembly of the clamp arms,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken on line V-V of FIG. 3, and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line VI-VI of FIG. 1.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the several views, and the numerals 2 and 4 apply generally and respectively to the two arms constituting the only elements of the clamp. Each of said arms is elongated and has a transverse offset intermediate the ends thereof, and the offset portions thereof are interconnected to permit relative pivotal movement of said arms in the plane generally determined by said arms, this plane hereinafter being referred to as the operating plane. The transverse offset of arm 2 is indicated at 6, and has an aperture 8 formed therethrough transversely to the arm and lying in the operating plane. Extending in one direction from said offset is a jaw portion 10 having an operating face 12 extending longitudinally of the arm and being disposed at right angles to the operating plane. Extending from offset 6 generally oppositely from jaw 10 is an elongated handle 14 having an integral finger loop 16 at its opposite end. The transverse offset of arm 4 is indicated at 18 (see FIGS. 2 and 3) and is disposed slidably in aperture 8 of arm 2. Similarly as arm 2, arm 4 is provided with a jaw portion 20 having an operative face 22, a handle portion 24 and a finger loop 26. Arms 2 and 4 are preferably formed of steel or other suitable material possessing a degree of resilience. If formed of a good grade of plastic, the clamp would be well adapted for production as a low cost, single-use, disposable item.

The details of the interconnection of offset 18 of arm 4 in the aperture 8 of offset 6 of arm 2, whereby to provide accurately controlled relative pivotal movement of the arms but nevertheless to permit rapid and easy as sembly or disassembly thereof, form the central features of the invention. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, one side of aperture 8 forms an acutely angled fulcrum 28 the edge of which extends at right angles to the operating plane. Said fulcrum is formed by the intersection of operating face 12 of jaw .10 with a stop face 30 disposed at an acute angle to said operating face. The side of aperture 8 directly opposite fulcrum 28 is arcuately curved concentrically with said fulcrum to form a concave cradle 32. The offset portion 18 of arm 4 defines an angular notch 34 at the intersection of the operating face 22 of jaw 20 with a stop face 36 of offset 18, face 36 being disposed at an obtuse angle to face 22. Fulcrum 28 is engaged in notch 34, and thereby establishes the axis of pivotal.

movement between the two arms. It will [be seen that when the operative faces 12 and 22 of the jaws are moved together by pivotal movement of the arms, as shown in FIG. 3, the stop faces 30 and 36 are spaced angularly apart, and that the angle between said stop faces at this time represents the maximum angle to which jaws 10 and 20 can be opened, as shown in FIG. 4, since stop faces 30 and 36 then abut to arrest any further opening movement.

The side of offset 18 of arm 4 opposite from notch 34 is arcuately curved concentrically with the apex of said notch, as at 38, to form an abutment which is normally slidably engaged in cradle 32, as shown in FIG. 3. This engagement holds notch 34 in full engagement with fulcrum 28, and thereby both holds and locks the arms in assembly, and supports them for relative pivotal movement around fulcrum 28. This engagement continues from a position in which the jaws are closed, as in FIG. 3, to a position in which the jaws are opened to their widest extent, as in FIG. 4, at which time stop faces 30 and 36 abut each other. At the latter position, abutment 38 disengages from cradle 32, and jaw 20 may then be withdrawn longitudinally of itself through aperture 8, whereby the arms are disassembled. They may be reassembled simply by reversing the process. In order for this disassembly and reassembly to be possible, it will be apparent first that the total angular opening movement of the arms necessary to disengage abutment 38 from cradle 32 be less, or at least no greater, than the relative movement of the arms permitted by stop faces 30 and 36. It is also necessary that the width of jaw 20, from abutment 38 to the jaw tip, measured in the operating plane and at right angles to the operating face 22 of said jaw, be less than the radius of abutment 38, or more specifically, no greater than the distance between fulcrum 28 and a line disposed in the operating plane and connecting the extreme ends of cradle 32, measured at right angles to said line. As long as these limitations are observed, the assembly and disassembly can be performed freely and without obstruction. Since, however, they can be performed only with the jaws open to their widest extent, and further since this relationship of the jaws will not occur in normal usage, they will not interfere with normal usage by permitting accidental separation of the arms.

The assembly and disassembly features just described simplify the usual clamp structure by elimination of the usual pivot pin required to connect the arms. The two arms are well adapted for production by mass production methods, for example by injection molding particularly if the arms are formed of plastic. Also, disassembly of the arms permits easy and thorough cleansing and sterilization of the interconnected or contacting Zones of the arms, this area being quite difiicult to clean effectively in the usual clamp in which the arms are permanently joined.

To permit the device to be used as a clamp capable of maintaining a continuous clamping pressure on jaws and 20 without necessity of the operator maintaining constant finger pressure through finger loops 16 and 26, handle 14 is provided adjacent finger loop 16 with a curved segment 40 integral therewith and concentric with fulcrum 28. Said segment is integral with arm 14, and extends therefrom parallel to the operating plane to overlap handle 24 when the jaws are closed or nearly closed. A series of transverse notches 42 (see FIG. 6) are formed on the surface of said segment confronting arm 24, and are adapted to be engaged selectively by a single tooth 44 formed integrally with arm 24. Tooth 44 simply ratchets over notches 42 until jaws 10 and 20 are closed with the desired force. Arms 14 and 24 are sufiiciently fiexible to yield, thereby permitting greater force to be applied to the jaws without actual movement of the jaws themselves. Segment 40 may be disengaged from tooth 44, whereby to permit reopening of the jaws, by deflecting arms 14 and 24 in relatively opposite directions normal to the operating plane.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure and operation could be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A hemostatic clamp comprising a pair of elongated arms disposed in intersecting relationship intermediate their ends and joined at their intersection for relative pivotal movement about an axis transverse thereto, one corresponding pair of ends of said arms constituting cooperating jaws operable to be moved toward or from each other by pivotal movement of said arms and the other corresponding pair of ends of said arms constituting handles whereby said arms may be manually pivoted, said arms being connected together by means of interengaging elements integral therewith, said elements interlocking to retain said arms in assembly from a position in which said jaws are closed to a position in which said jaws are separated widely, said elements becoming disengaged at said latter position, whereby said arms may be separated, said interengaging elements comprising:

(a) a fulcrum carried by the first of said arms coaxially with the pivotal axis of said arms,

(b) an arcuately concave cradle carried by said first arm concentrically with said fulcrum, the second of said arms extending between said fulcrum and said cradle, the portion of said second arm extending between said fulcrum and said cradle having at one side thereof a reentrant notch the apex of which is rockably engaged on said fulcrum, and having at the opposite side thereof an arcuately convex abutment concentric with the apex of said notch and engaged slidably in said cradle, said abutment being disengageable from said cradle by pivotal movement of said arms to a position in which said jaws are widely separated, the jaw of said second arm being longitudinally insertable between the fulcrum and cradle of said first arm.

2. A hemostatic clamp comprising a pair of elongated arms disposed in intersecting relationship intermediate their ends and joined at their intersection for relative pivotal movement about an axis transverse thereto, one corresponding pair of ends of said arms constituting cooperating jaws operable to be moved toward or from each other by pivotal movement of said arms and the other corresponding pair of ends of said arms constituting handles whereby said arms may be manually pivoted, said arms being connected together by means of interengaging elements integral therewith, said elements interlocking to retain said arms in assembly from a position in which said jaws are closed to a position in which said jaws are separated widely, said elements becoming disengaged at said latter position, whereby said arms may be separated, said arms being provided with respectively opposite lateral offsets at their intersection, the offset of the first of said arms having an aperture formed therethrough tranversely of said arm and in the plane of relative movement of said arms, with the offset of the second of said arms extending through said aperture, the side of said aperture toward the jaw of said first arm constituting a fulcrum normal to the plane of relative movement of said arms and defined at the intersection of the plane of the operating face of said jaw and a stop face disposed at an acute angle to said jaw face, the side of said aperture toward the handle of said first arm defining an arcuately concave cradle concentric with said fulcrum, the side of the offset of said second arm toward the associated jaw constituting a stop face intersecting the plane of the operating face of the jaw of said second arm at an obtuse angle to form a reentrant notch therebetween, said notch being rockably engaged on said fulcrum, and the side of the offset of said second arm toward the handle end thereof being arcuately convex concentrically with the apex of said notch to form an abutment slidably engaged in said cradle.

3. A hemostatic clamp as recited in claim 2 wherein the width of the jaw of said second arm, from the offset thereof to the free end of said jaw, and measured at right angles to the operating face of said jaw in the plane of relative movement of said jaws, is no greater than the distance from the fulcrum of said first arm to a line disposed in the plane of relative movement of said jaws and connecting the extreme ends of said concave cradle, measursed at right angles to said line.

4. A hemostatic clamp as recited in claim 3 wherein said convex abutment is movable out of engagement with said concave cradle by relative pivotal movement of said arms to a position in which said jaws are widely separated, whereby in this position the jaw of said second arm may be withdrawn longitudinally from the aperture of said first arm.

5. A hemostatic clamp as recited in claim 3 wherein said convex abutment is movable out of engagement with said concave cradle by relative pivotal movement of said arms to a position in which said jaws are widely separated, whereby in this position the jaw of said second arm may be withdrawn longitudinally from the aperture of said first arm, and wherein the relative movement of said jaws is limited by abutment of said stop faces, the degree of relative angular movement of said arms permitted by said stop faces being sufiicient to permit disengagement of said abutment from said cradle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS L. W. TRAPP, Primary Examiner. 

